


Just as sane as her

by nonbinaryglory



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Chamber of Secrets, Crushes, F/F, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Luna/Ginny in later chapters, Magic, Minor Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, More characters to come, Non-Canon Relationship, Slow Burn, Tom Riddle's Diary, i think, in the first chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-28
Updated: 2015-12-06
Packaged: 2018-04-17 08:49:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4660272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nonbinaryglory/pseuds/nonbinaryglory
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She had seen her from afar, made brief eye-contact, but never really talked to her. She had just been admiring Luna's turnip earrings the day they spoke for the first time. Right after a class, while packing their stuff.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Luna, not Loony.

Ravenclaws and Gryffindors shared Transfiguration class, that was how they met. During their very first year at Hogwarts.

Luna Lovegood, the strange, eccentric and rather odd Ravenclaw girl in her transfiguration class. Ginny liked Luna's hair, the way it curled and waved down her back. She thought her pretty the first time she saw her. A pretty girl amongst many other pretty people. She often looked like she was far away in some kind of dreamland and yet she was most definitely paying attention in class.

She had seen her from afar, made brief eye-contact, but never really talked to her. She had just been admiring Luna's turnip earrings the day they spoke for the first time. Right after a class, while packing their stuff.

"Hey, Loony what's with the turnips in yer ears?" asked a loud Gryffindor boy, with his Ravenclaw friend snickering besides him. Ginny look at them with dismay. _Loony? Loony?_ _!_ A fire danced in her stomach as she continued to look at the scene before her.

"Oh, I think turnips are pretty so I thought I'd make myself some earrings with them. I could make you some if you want me to, it's not difficult." Luna gave the two boys the same relaxed, kind look she seemed to give everyone and answered with a smile.

 "Ha! As if!" laughed the Ravenclaw boy "Keep your weirdo earrings to yourself Loo-"

"THAT IS IT!" shouted Ginny, and now everyone was looking at her. Including Luna. Ginny could feel her heart beating painfully with panic, but the anger in the pit of her stomach was more powerful than her fear. Ginny stomped over the boys with loud steps and her ears as red as her hair.

 "Her name is Luna, don't you dare call her Loony! And you wish you were as 'weird' as she is you absolute broomheads!" She turned her head to look at the Ravenclaw boy with such force that he jumped.  "And I have no idea how _you_ got into Ravenclaw, what with less IQ than a turnip." Then it was the Gryffindor boy's turn to jump as she turned to him. "I am absolutely disgusted that I have to be in the same year, let alone the same house as a bully like you. There is absolutely no chivalry in what you were just doing."

She then turned on her heels and locked her arm with Luna. She looked at the boys again. "Think well through everything you've said to her, boys. And be ashamed of yourself. Both Ravenclaw and Gryffindor should've lost at least 50 points for your cruelty."

Ginny walked away, arms locked with Luna until they were out in the paved courtyard.

"Thank you for stopping them, Ginevra. I don't really like it when they call me Loony. Well, it would be a good nickname but not when it is so mean spirited of course. I guess... If we were friends.. I wouldn't mind if you called me that. Though just Luna is fine too." Luna said in her usual fleeting voice. 

Ginny stared at her for a while, then laughed.

"Sure, as long as you call me Ginny. I hate being called Ginevra. I mean, it sounds like an old lady's name! Oh, and if you don't mind, make me a pair of turnip earrings."


	2. Muggle glitter

Luna skipped down the halls, happier than usual. She had a friend now! A friend she would make all sorts of gifts for. A friend whom she didn't would open the doors to many other friends.

It only took Luna two days to make the earrings for Ginny. She could've done it in a few hours but with the scrolls to write and things to read, it ended up taking two days. Seeing Ginny's face light up when she gave to her made her day.

"Oh, you made them sparkle! How'd you do that?"

"Well, there is a spell for it I'm sure. But I decided to use this kind of muggle glitter that sticks on everything. See, my tie is all glittery." Luna held out her tie for Ginny to see.

The spent some time chatting about Luna's self-made jewelry, glitter and a few muggle things before they both had to go to their own, and sadly, separate classes.

"I'll see you during long break, alright?" said Luna, she wanted to spend more time with Ginny and long break was a great opportunity.

"Yeah! See you Luna!"

"See you!"

Luna spent her first two classes, double History, unusually distracted. Though she might not look like it she was very focused during classes, with the exception of History of Magic, but that day she was extra distracted. Not the usual kind, where she would doodle and  read ahead in the History book - Professor Binns was always so slow - she just kept catching herself staring into nothing while thinking about Ginny.

How great she was! She liked Luna's jewelry and her slight fascination with muggle things. Apparently her father was obsessed with it. Luna could listen to her talk about her family forever. How many brothers does she have? Luna knew there were at least four but judging by what she had overheard there could be, what? Six? She had heard some teachers mention Charlie Weasley, but she couldn't be sure. She had to ask Ginny.

Ginny could tell her all kinds of things. And oh of course Luna would tell Ginny about her family! And Quibbler! Oh, the things she would tell Ginny. She could tell her about nargles and all kinds of different magical creatures few others believed in. It didn't even matter to Luna if she would believe in them, as long as she listened the way she did when Luna talked about her jewelry.

 _Having someone that actually listens_ \- Luna thought - _Is absolutely wonderful._


	3. No shoes at Halloween

"I've been wondering, Luna.. Why do you never wear shoes?" Ginny asked one day. She hadn't noticed at first, because Luna always sat on her feet, but in Transfiguration, she noticed there were no shoes by Luna's desk. And just as Ginny had thought, Luna did _not_ wear shoes.

"Oh, that's because someone's taken them. It doesn't matter though, shoes aren't that important." Luna said, as carefree as ever. She finished up her scroll and put her quill behind that ear where she didn't have her wand. She had put her straggly dirty blonde hair up in a very messy bun. Though she did it to keep it out of her eyes while she did her homework, some of it still got in the way. 

They spent most of their free time together, even if they just sat next to each other working on scrolls in silence.

"That's rather mean, innit?"

"Mhmm.. I suppose so.. But they'll turn up eventually and besides, it's a bit fun looking for them! I get to explore a lot."

"I bet you know the castle much better than I do!"

September had gone and October was nearly over, Ginny and Luna had become good friends. Luna told Ginny about all kinds of creatures most didn't believe in and Ginny was absolutely fascinated! Ginny told Luna all about her family, Charlie's work with dragons, Bill's work for Gringotts and all kinds of other things. Luna let her go on forever about the frustrations of having 6 older brothers.

It didn't take long for Luna to find out that Ginny had a crush on the one and only Harry Potter. Getting Ginny to admit it was a whole different thing, but eventually she did. After that, Luna understood why Ginny was so shy around him.

Hogwarts was calm, well as calm as a school of witchcraft can get, that is until Halloween.

Ginny had promised Luna that they'd sneak off with some candy before the Halloween feast was over and eat it together. But when Luna looked at the Gryffindor table that night, Ginny was nowhere to be seen. Neither was her brother Ron and his friends Harry and Hermione.

The feast ended with a very worried Luna. Ginny hadn't showed up at all which probably meant that she was sick, oh and how Luna had hoped to share some pudding with her. Everyone left the hall but after not more than a minute, there was a hold up.

"The Chamber of Secrets.." "Harry and his friends.." "Mrs Norris is dead!" "Written in blood!"

Luna had gone from disappointed to worried to downright scared this night. After a few minutes of being stuck in the hall she saw what all the fuss was about.

A big puddle of water on the floor and foot-high words painted _-in blood-_ on the wall between two windows, shimmering in the light cast by the torches.

**THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED.**

**ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.**

Mrs Norris, the caretaker's cat, hung from a torch bracket, stiff as a board and seemingly lifeless.

Everything was quiet until someone shouted for everyone to hear.

"Enemies of the heir, beware! You'll be next, Mudbloods!"


	4. Chapter 4

The next few days, all the school could talk about was the attack on Mrs Norris. Filch pacing the place where she'd been attacked, like the attacker might come back, kept it fresh in everyone's mind. Luna had seen him scrub aggressively at the words on the wall, but with no effect.

There was an anxiety in the air and everyone was breathing it, but Luna seemed to be immune. She skipped down the hall like usual, without any shoes on her feet. But Ginny was _different_ , quieter even around Luna. Sometimes she just disappeared for no reason during meals and breaks. Luna was worried for her, she saw how Ginny looked more and more scared and tired. She had dark circles under her eyes and she was very jumpy. And yet they still spent a lot of time together.

"Did you hear people think Harry is "the heir"?" Ginny said with disgust and rolled her eyes. She had cried a lot lately,for Mrs Norris because she loved cats and for Harry because she thought they would expel him.

"Mmmmhm.. Rather foolish, innit? Don't think.. he is.. Couldn't be.." Luna said slowly, as she was trying to read Quibbler and talk to Ginny at the same time.

"Quibbler? What's that and why are you reading upside down?" Ginny turned her head so she could read the title of the upside-down magazine.

"Oh, my father writes it. It's about all kinds of things! Some politics, historical facts, magical creatures and a lot of other things... As for reading upside down... Some of the more risky articles are put this way.. You have to use a spell for it as well."

"Hmmm..." was all Ginny said in response,staring into her small notebook. Quieter, even around Luna.

 "There's a Gryffindor versus Slytherin match this Saturday, right? That'll get everyone's minds off of this whole Chamber of Secrets business for a bit. Though I must admit I am curious. I do believe the legends to be true, don't you?" Luna said but the moment she did Ginny slammed her notebook shut and stood up from table abruptly.

"I've got to go! Bye Luna!" she said and took off at quite a speed. She really was acting strangely.


	5. Quibbler and Quaffles

Luna had spent Friday evening making two Gryffindor banners for the Quidditch match, one for Ginny and one for herself.

 _After all that had happened a Quidditch match is what everyone need._  

Luna thought as she walked down to breakfast with the banners in her arms. The more she got to know Ginny the more she wanted to sit with her at the Gryffindor table or have her sit at the Ravenclaw table, but when it wasn't the holidays and everyone was at Hogwarts that wasn't allowed.

_Some rules should certainly be more bendable._

Ginny looked much better, no bloodshot eyes from crying and no visible fear, she'd probably gotten a good nights sleep. She was enjoying a cup of tea, unless Luna was wrong. Luna walked over, light on her feet.

"Hi, Ginny. Sleep well?" Luna said.

"Oh, Hi Luna. Mhm, I'm much better than" she paused to yawn "..before. Still, could be better." She still sounded tired, but it _was_ early in the morning.

_I worry too much._

Luna thought reluctantly, in her head she took a step back as she does when she thinks such negative things. 

_No, it's alright to worry. I care about Ginny, I want her to feel good. It is not bad of me to worry._

"I made a Gryffindor banner for todays Quidditch match."

"Oh! Luna that's fantastic! And oh ahaha they glitter."

"I know you like glitter. I'll go and eat breakfast now, but I'll see you after the match, right? Got to go with the other Ravenclaws."

 The breakfast passed slowly, Luna kept getting lost in her own thoughts and yet there was always a lot of time left. She stared down at the last bit of her scrambled eggs wondering if she should eat it or let it be, in the end she did eat it.

As usual there was a big crowd, possibly the entire school, coming to see the Quidditch match. The crowd move slower than a snail. Luna was glad that she had kept a Quibbler magazine in her robe pocket for while others had nothing to do but complain, she could read that article about Acromantulas again. She was sure that it said the name of the wizard that originally bred them.

It took a while before everyone was seated but shortly after the Slytherin players entered the pitch. The Slytherins cheered while the Gryffindors booed, joined by some booing Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. Luna kept quiet. And then the Gryffindor players entered the pitch. Every Ravenclaw, every Hufflepuff and every Gryffindor cheered, while the Slytherins booed and hissed. Luna could swear that she had never heard anything that loud before, not that she didn't enjoy it of course.

The two opposing team captains shook hands, the players mounted their brooms, Madam Hooch blew her whistle and the match began. The crowd gave a loud roar that sped the fourteen players up towards the sky. The seekers flew higher than everyone else, Harry first with the Slytherin seeker Draco Malfoy at his heels. Luna shifted her gaze to the Slytherin chaser whom had just scored. She couldn't see the Gryffindor beaters anywhere when a Bludger stopped one of their chasers from scoring, but when she looked at Harry again she could see both the beaters trying their best to keep a Bludger off him. A Bludger that kept coming back to him. 

_Very strange._

It had started raining and Slytherin was leading 60 points to 0, when Gryffindor called for a timeout. The Slytherin crowd was ecstatic. The Gryffindor team huddled together in something Luna was sure was about that mad Bludger and how they were going to turn this match around. When they resumed play, Harry sped up with the Bludger following him right away trying to follow his every move. Harry did everything to keep the Bludger off him, it nearly looked like a dance.

  _Someone definitely tampered with it. Can't be a student. Takes powerful magic that and an ability to not be seen. An elf! Definitely. But why?_

Luna was torn out of her speculations when the Bludger suddenly hit Harry's arm. She gasped audibly, his arm was definitely broken. Then Harry sped towards Malfoy, attacking him? No, he had seen the snitch! He let go of the broom to catch it with his good arm and sped straight for the ground. Luna, amongst many others, yelled in fright. But when he rolled off his broom in the mud the crowd cheered and whistled. Gryffindor had won! 150 points to 60!

There was an incident right after, Professor Lockhart attempted to fix Harry's arm only to remove every bone in it before he was taken to the Hospital Wing. Of course that didn't stop Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw from celebrating that now Slytherin might not win the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup! Luna herself was also very glad for that but also because people forgot about their wide-eyed fears for one day.

Yes, for one day people forgot about the Chamber of Secrets and the attack on Mrs. Norris. But the day after, Hogwarts was filled with even more fright. That night, after everyone had went to bed, a young Gryffindor sneaked out of bed to get to Harry in the Hospital Wing. That night, that Gryffindor was petrified by the same monster that attacked Mrs. Norris. After that it was certain that the Chamber of Secrets was open and every Muggleborn was in grave danger.

 

 


	6. Luna all alone

Hogwarts felt like chaos to Luna. The air was thick with rumour and suspicion, first-years moved around in tight groups, as if they thought going about like that would keep them safe from the _horrors_ that had been released from The Chamber. Luna scoffed at the students selling fake talismans and amulets, she was so aggravated with it that she got in two arguments.

"Talismans would be no protection against this monster! It is of an entirely different nature than what talismans can protect you from. Sure certain amulets might be of help but you have to sell them real _proper_ amulets and- are you even listening to me?"

"No, because I don't care about proper amulets! No one does. Just piss off you weirdo!"

That had been the breaking point for Luna. With tears streaming down her face she ran to the closest girls' bathroom and locked herself inside a cubicle. She sat there, crying for about half an hour before she managed to get some of her voice back.

"I just don't understand! I don't understand, I don't understand!" she hiccuped.

"Why? Why can't they be _kind_? Why? I don't understaaaand!" and as she started to sob uncontrollably yet again, she heard a soft, fleeting voice from the neighbooring cubicle.

"They're the ones who don't understand... I should know.. They teased me too. Just don't let them change you, don't let them make you hate yourself." The voice belonged to the ghost of a young Ravenclaw girl, she couldn't be older than 12.

She had fleeted into the cubicle Luna was sitting in, while she spoke, and now she looked at her with sad eyes filled with tears.

Luna had been so surprised that she had stopped crying so violently, tears still streamed down her face but now they did so quietly. Luna took a deep, shaky breath to calm herself, dried her eyes and sniffled.

"Who are you?" she asked the ghost with a shaky voice.

"I'm Myrtle, though most people here call me Moaning Myrtle." Myrtle's voice was thick with sadness and Luna did not know if it was just the way this ghost was or if Luna's sadness made it so.

"I'm Luna, Luna Lovegood. Although... Most people call me Loony Lovegood." Luna attempted to smile but it turned into a scowl which made Myrtle start crying silently.

"That sounds horrible... No wonder you're here when they call you something like that. Do you want to talk about it? I know it might sound dumb, but talking actually helps. Though, I didn't and still don't have someone to talk about it to... You could have, you know? I could be that person. If you want to that is... I just don't want you to be alone like me."

That made Luna give a, however small, genuine smile. People had told her that talking about hard things would help, so why not? If Ginny kept disappearing then she couldn't talk to her. So why not talk to Myrtle? Why not talk to somebody who truly knows this kind of pain?

"I'd like that very much, Myrtle. And I think you could talk to me about your struggles as well. Like friends, perhaps?" She said gently, and the control she now had over her own voice surprised her. A new friend would be nice. A friend to vent hardships to and help with her own hardships.

"Oh! Oh yes! I haven't had a friend in so long! I-I'd love to!"

Luna was sure that the tears Myrtle cried now, were tears of happiness. 


End file.
